The USA Men's U19 team that is going to the RAN Men's U19s has been confirmed.
Todd Thornley(recently of Central Washington) will coach the team, with Colton Cariaga (Harvard) and Zach Mizell (Penn State) as assistants. Jody Hensley is the manager and Janie Kluempers is the trainer. For the first time ever as far as GRR can track it, every single age-grade team touring this year has a dedicated performance analyst on tour. For the U19s it is Seth Heldman (Dallas Harlequins and formerly Dallas Jackals).
The players will assemble and compete in Querétaro, Mexico, from July 9-12, 2025.
The tournament, hosted by Federación Méxicana de Rugby at FC TOTAL, will feature six participating countries in a round-robin format on Wednesday, July 9, and Thursday, July 10, to determine seeding for the finals on Saturday, July 12. As the reigning #1 ranked team heading into the competition, based on last year's performance, the USA U19s are poised for a strong showing against top talent from teams from Bermuda, Trinidad & Tobago, México, Cayman Islands and Jamaica.
“The overarching goal for this Tour is to establish clear standards of what it means to become an Eagle—both on and off the field," said Thornely. "Many of these athletes are on the pathway to the U20s cycle for 2026, so this is an important foundation-setting opportunity. Players will be challenged to demonstrate strong on-field performances, as well as uphold team values, adapt to challenges, and grow as a cohesive unit preparing for the next level.
“We are ready to expect the unexpected, which is exactly what we want from a development perspective. These teams will test all aspects of our game and push our players outside their comfort zones. It's a unique opportunity to learn under pressure. With a condensed schedule and multiple games in a short window, the challenge will be maintaining high-performance levels throughout. It’s the kind of test that accelerates growth, and we’re looking forward to seeing how the players respond.
“We have already begun to build cohesion in the squad and align on our goals and culture before arriving in Mexico. The level of commitment and engagement from players has been outstanding, which bodes well for our environment on Tour. One of the biggest challenges will be integrating different playing styles and personalities quickly, but that’s also one of the most exciting aspects—watching a diverse group come together and grow as a team.”
